Paladino backed ‘anti-Christ’ comments

A reader sent along this article, printed by the Niagara Gazette last October, in which Republican gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver “fit the bill” of the anti-Christ or “a Hitler.”

Paladino made the remarks at a meeting of the Niagara County Patriots, just days after Erie County Executive Chris Collins apologized for calling Silver the anti-Christ at a fundraiser.The attack on Silver, an Orthodox Jew from lower Manhattan, was perceived by some as anti-Semitic at worst or insensitive at best.

From the Gazette:

Paladino said he told an aid (sic) to Collins on Tuesday the county executive should instead keep up the pressure on Silver whom he characterized as “probably the most corrupt and incompetent human being to ever serve in state government in the state of New York.”

“If I could ever describe a person who would fit the bill of an Antichrist or a Hitler, this guy is it,” Paladino said. “I’m sure Chris had no — absolutely no — intention whatsoever of insulting the Jewish faith or the ethnic group or religion.”

Collins has since endorsed Paladino, who is running in a GOP primary against Rick Lazio.

UPDATE: Sean Coffey, one of the Democrats running for attorney general, issued a statement repudiating Paladino.

“There are some bright white lines that a serious leader committed to common sense and civility should never approach, much less cross. Carl Paladino crossed one of those lines today when he slandered Speaker Silver – and all persons of Jewish background – by comparing him to Hitler and calling him an Anti-Christ. Adding insult to injury, this follows Paladino’s ridiculous question from yesterday regarding the personal hygeine of low-income residents. Carl Paladino’s hate-filled rhetoric degrades the public discourse about issues most important to New Yorkers and should disqualify him from consideration for our state’s highest office.”